Selvan Susai Arul, Ghalsasi Vihang Vivek, Bandyopadhyay Anwesha, Pal Tarun
Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, India.
School of Bioengineering and Food Technology, Faculty of Applied Sciences and Biotechnology, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Solan, India.
Future Microbiol. 2025 Jun 19:1-13. doi: 10.1080/17460913.2025.2520693.
The global surge in antibiotic resistance has accelerated the search for alternative antimicrobial strategies, with bacteriocins emerging as promising candidates. These ribosomally synthesized peptides exhibit potent, targeted antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens and have shown efficacy in food preservation, pharmaceuticals, and clinical applications. Their specificity and rapid bactericidal action offer distinct advantages over conventional antibiotics, including a potentially lower risk of resistance development. Nonetheless, recent studies report resistance mechanisms such as membrane modifications, efflux pumps, and enzymatic degradation. Despite their potential, only a limited number of bacteriocins have been commercialized primarily for food applications with none yet approved for therapeutic use. Major barriers include low production yields, poor stability, and stringent regulatory challenges. This review presents a comprehensive overview of bacteriocins, including their classification, mechanisms of action, and commercial landscape. It further highlights current innovations aimed at overcoming translational bottlenecks, such as genetic engineering, nanotechnology-based delivery, and fermentation optimization. Ultimately, the review underscores the need for interdisciplinary research and harmonized regulatory frameworks to fully realize bacteriocins' potential in addressing the global antibiotic resistance crisis.
全球抗生素耐药性的激增加速了对替代抗菌策略的探索，细菌素成为了有前景的候选物。这些核糖体合成的肽对多重耐药（MDR）病原体具有强大的靶向抗菌活性，并已在食品保鲜、制药和临床应用中显示出功效。它们的特异性和快速杀菌作用相对于传统抗生素具有明显优势，包括耐药性产生的潜在风险可能更低。尽管如此，最近的研究报道了诸如膜修饰、外排泵和酶降解等耐药机制。尽管它们具有潜力，但目前只有少数细菌素主要用于食品应用实现了商业化，尚无一种被批准用于治疗用途。主要障碍包括产量低、稳定性差以及严格的监管挑战。本综述全面概述了细菌素，包括它们的分类、作用机制和商业前景。它进一步强调了当前旨在克服转化瓶颈的创新，如基因工程、基于纳米技术的递送和发酵优化。最终，该综述强调了跨学科研究和统一监管框架的必要性，以充分发挥细菌素在应对全球抗生素耐药性危机方面的潜力。
